An Officeworks customer has complained about a sign seen outside a Sydney store informing customers of the retailer’s trial of a “mobile phone location monitoring” program.
The notice said the retailer, located in the CBD, would collect the data to “optimize” the store and customer experience.
“This is part of our ongoing efforts to optimize service and provide the best in-store experience for our customers,” the sign read.
“No personal or identifying information will be collected as part of this trial.”
Customers were told that if they wanted to turn off monitoring, they should turn off their Wi-Fi connection or put their phone on airplane mode while in the store.
User Equivalent-Ad7207 posted a photo of the message on Reddit, along with the caption: “What does Hunter Street Officeworks think it’s playing at?”
Other users also seemed less impressed, with one person claiming that Officeworks could “improve the customer experience” by not tracking people’s locations when they’re in the store.
Other comments stated that several stores and shopping centers were already using the technology, although most do not inform customers in this way.
“It’s going to suck not being able to get into most big chain stores or malls,” one Reddit user wrote.
“They’ve all been doing this for years. This is just the first time I’ve seen a sign informing the customer.”
Another person agreed that this kind of tracking has been around for a while, but noted that it was “still dirty.”
“These things have been happening for years on a larger scale with Bluetooth beacons linked to the point of sale and such,” they said.
“When you go to a mall, they (advertisers/mall management) know what stores and areas you shop in or what you do.
“It started around the same time phone updates made it harder to permanently disable Bluetooth. It’s still gross.”
News.com.au has asked Officeworks for comment on how the retailer uses this data.
Stealth WiFi tracking technique used by businesses
Last month, cyber security engineer Rafig Jabrayilov warned that companies were using smart software capable of tracking the location of each customer’s phone.
The cyber expert said the software was so accurate that it could determine exactly how much time each customer spent looking at certain products on certain shelves.
“For anyone trying to keep their personal information private, it’s not fair. Everyone has the right to keep their privacy,” Jabrayilov said.
“Buying something in a store shouldn’t mean you have to share your personal data.”
Businesses can track the physical location of their customers using easily accessible information distributed through their smartphones.
Apple and Android devices emit radio waves with a diameter of between 10 and 20 meters that transmit their MAC (media access control) address, a 12-digit code that is unique and identifies each device.
Stores, such as Nordstrom in the United States, the focus of a New York Times article, can install sensors in physical stores that return accurate information about consumer behavior.
Jabrayilov said major Australian retailers were also involved in tracking consumers’ devices through their camera faces, but he was not in a position to pass on the names of the outlets.
“They’re basically trying to identify your gender, which store you stay in the most, how many people are passing and entering the stores, and which section they’re staying in the most,” Jabrayilov said.
Bunnings and Kmart under investigation
It was revealed earlier this month that Australia’s privacy watchdog was investigating the use of facial recognition technology by Bunnings and Kmart.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has confirmed it has opened an investigation into the technology, focusing on how the retail giants handle customers’ personal information.
The investigations followed a report by consumer advocacy group Choice into retailers’ use of facial recognition technology.
Choice looked at the privacy policies of 25 major retailers and found that The Good Guys, Kmart and Bunnings were recording their customers’ biometric data.
Facial recognition uses video cameras to analyze images and capture each person’s unique facial features, known as a facial fingerprint.
But Choice research found 76 per cent of Australians didn’t know retailers were doing this, despite having a sign at the front of stores.
Australia’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Angelene Falk has also opened preliminary consultations with Good Guys Discount Warehouses (Australia) following reports that the company had stopped using facial recognition technology.
Bunnings chief operating officer Simon McDowell said he was aware of the OAIC’s investigations into the use of facial recognition technology in its stores and would co-operate with them.
“As we’ve explained above, this technology is used solely to help keep staff and customers safe and prevent illegal activity in our stores and we have strict controls over its use,” he said.
After the Choice research was published, Australians shared their anger, calling the use of advanced cameras and the collection of personal data “creepy” and “disgusting”.
Some stated that they would stop shopping in stores as a result.
– With NCA NewsWire
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